Cypermethrin Induced Alterations on Seminiferous Tubules of Dugesia Gonocephala, Macroinvertebrate from the Chilean Altiplano

Cypermethrin is a synthetic pyrethroid widely used as an agropesticide. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of cypermethrin on reproductive patterns of the planarian Dugesia gonocephala, a bioindicator species from Guacollo River, in the Chilean Altiplano, an ecosystem that is free of regular environmental pollutants. Specimens were subjected to doses of 1.455, 0.1455, 0.01455, 0.001455, 0.0001455 and 0.00001455mg.ml(-1) cypermethrin (1/10, 1/100, 1/1000, 1/10000 and 1/1000000 LD50, respectively). Planarians incubated in water from the same river were the control. The results showed that cypermethrin modified the morphology of the seminiferous tubules significantly increasing the area and perimeter of the tub-tiles, also causing cellular changes, with a significant increase in (CD133(+)) stem cells. Is concluded that D. gonocephala is an excellent biomarker of environmental pollutants in aquatic ecosystems, and cypermethrin alters the architecture and cell proliferation Of germ cells of the seminiferous tubules, possibly as a result of oxidative stress.